This disclosure relates to the field of various infant warming devices that are used to provide heat support to premature infants who cannot sustain their own body temperature. In the treatment of infants, and particularly those born prematurely, it is necessary to provide heat to the infant during the care and treatment of the infant and to minimize heat loss from the infant's body. An apparatus for providing such heat will be referred to in this disclosure as an infant warming device. In general such an apparatus comprises a flat planar surface on which the infant rests while various procedures are carried out. There are normally protective guards or hoods that surround the infant and some type of heater directing energy toward the infant. This heating could be radiant in the case of an infant warmer, or heated air in the case of an infant incubator or combination device. These devices are frequently mounted on a mobile system that can easily be rolled around in a hospital environment. It should be understood that these infant warming devices might have other descriptive names, such as, for example, an infant care device, or an infant warming center, and this disclosure anticipates any of those other names.
Above and beyond these basic functions of an infant warming device there are many other functions that can be useful for infant care. This disclosure will describe one of those.
Infant warming devices currently have all external communications, sensors, power, and data to the device located on the main device structure. These connections are connected to various control systems such temperature probes, SpO2 probes, monitoring probes, etc. which are then attached with wire and cables that hang over the bed and the patient. These connection arrangements can create problems for caregivers as they create a cluttered environment around the infant warming device.
There is a need then for a system that enables the connection and operation of the entire probe and signal electronics, power system, ancillary equipment etc., so they can now operate without hanging over the bed and the patient and all cables can be shortened and the patient environment de-cluttered.
Many infant warming devices currently have beds that are capable of rotation to orient the patient to different positions without having to move the patient itself. These systems that rotate the patient support mattress tray are limited in use because patients are electrically connected to various control systems such temperature probes, SpO2 probes, monitoring probes, etc. which can limit the ability to easily rotate the patient or the bed. Additionally, other equipment and ancillary systems are often uses that require signal, data, power which also limit the ability to easily rotate the patient or bed.
There is a need then for systems that enable easy movement of these beds in various orientations without being limited by the need to maintain electrical power and data communication linkages.